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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Talks, dialogue, negotiations and GNU - Post June 2008 "elections" - Index of articles
Join
us in marching ahead to a free Zimbabwe
Dr Lovemore Madhuku, National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
November
19, 2008
In the past, the NCA
has staged a number of street protests across the country. Once
again we make a call to the people of Zimbabwe to protest regularly
and consistently (every week) until a resolution to the political
crisis engulfing our country is found and implemented. The protests
are to call for a transitional authority, not a government, whose
mandate is to see the immediate address of the humanitarian crisis
and facilitating the writing by the people of a democratic constitution.
With a democratic constitution in place, elections should be held
freely and fairly to elect the country's political leadership under
the terms of that constitution. The country will then need to be
governed through such a constitution.
This position is opposite to that being touted by the September
11/15th Agreement
reached by the country's main political parties. The deal, reached
through trickery and forgery, is aimed at throwing away the people's
victory on March 29. It is meant to sanitize the Zanu PF regime,
whilst reducing to a fool, the MDC, the winners of the election.
SADC has become complicit in this as well as other 'political leaders'
whose message is more contemptuous of the masses who voted than
it is of those who rob the masses daily of their dreams.
The deal allows Robert Mugabe to retain all his powers, including
that of Head of State and Head of Government. Tsvangirai is to become
Prime Minister in a Cabinet chaired for him by Mugabe. Tsvangirai
will only chair the Council of Ministers, a structure that does
not have executive authority. Major appointments are still the preserve
of the Mugabe, who only needs to 'consult' with the Prime Minister.
Nothing compels Mugabe to take the advice of the Prime Minister
after consultations. The list of what is bad about the deal is as
long as the deal itself.
In last week's protests, I was placed under a four hour 'preventive
detention', with
the police hoping that my absence from leading the protests would
deter the many activists pressing for change. But the protests went
ahead, placing once again on the tables of those who so seek to
suggest that 'the deal is the only hope we have', that there are
other ways to the solution besides capitulation.
Several activists were detained on various charges under POSA.
A number were assaulted. But there were also interesting observations
from those sent to met the punishment on us: they are beginning
to realize that the only side that is always right is the side of
the people. The police are part of the people, they come from the
people. The struggles we are fighting for democracy, for freedom,
for a better life for all, will also benefit them. They too will
not want to slide into the guilt of having aided the suffering of
the people when history was calling for their liberation.
Democracy will sure not come tomorrow, and perhaps any time sooner,
but it certainly will never come until and unless we fight for it.
This Tuesday, as with next Tuesday and the next, we, the NCA will
keep organizing and mobilizing until our country is governed in
accordance with the will of the people. We call on all Zimbabweans,
wherever you might be, to support the protests by doing all you
can, peacefully, to register the need to be governed by a government
of your choice under a democratic constitution.
Visit the NCA
fact
sheet
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